MEDIA REPORT -- COMMONWEALTH ACTIONS ON

UNCLAS HARARE 000303 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT -- COMMONWEALTH ACTIONS ON ZIMBABWE; HARARE ¶1. UNDER HEADLINE "DANGEROUS TO LET ZIMBABWE OFF THE HOOK AT THIS STAGE," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED ITS FEBRUARY 1 EDITORIAL TO CAUTIONING THE COMMONWEALTH ABOUT ITS DECISION NOT TO EXPEL ZIMBABWE FROM THE ORGANIZATION. EXCERPTS FOLLOW: ¶2. ". . . AT ONE LEVEL, THE CMAG DECISION TO HOLD OFF THE SUSPENSION COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS, EMBOLDENING ZANU PF INTO A COCKINESS THAT MIGHT TRANSLATE INTO THE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION AND OTHER DETRACTORS. AT ANOTHER LEVEL, THE DECISION COULD FORCE ZANU PF TO SHOW ITS TRUE INTENTIONS. IF THE PARTY IS BEING HONEST WITH THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU),THEN THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE OPPOSITION SHOULD END IMMEDIATELY. IF IT DOESN'T END, THEN EVERYBODY, EVEN THE NIGERIANS AND THE SOUTH AFRICANS IN THE COMMONWEALTH. . .MUST KNOW THAT MUGABE HAS ONCE AGAIN PULLED THE WOOL OVER THEIR EYES. THE BOTTOM LINE FOR THIS FLURRY OF ACTIVITY IS THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY FREE AND FAIR. . . ." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >